An official of the Department of Transportation (DoTr) on Wednesday announced the launch of the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) by the end of August.

The PITC is seen as part of the solution to cut the number of buses from provinces south of Metro Manila and ease traffic flow on EDSA, Baclaran and Taft Avenue.

“We will have a soft launch by the last week of August,” DoTr Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Mark de Leon said.

He said PITC’s construction is 96 percent complete although work is still ongoing for the components of online ticketing and booking system and radio frequency identification (RFID) tagging system of buses.

According to DoTr, PITX aims “to provide seamless interconnectivity of the different modes of transportation from the neighboring provinces south of Metro Manila to ensure a safe, convenient and hassle-free travel experience for the commuting public.”

When completed, it will be the first intermodal transport in the country. It is projected to accommodate up to 200,000 train, jeepney and bus passengers per day.

The terminal will connect passengers coming from the Cavite side to other transport systems such as the future LRT Line 1 South Extension, city bus, taxi and public utility vehicles serving inner Metro Manila.

It will feature passenger terminal buildings, loading and unloading bays, staging bays, ticketing and baggage handling as well as park-ride facilities. Commuters can also benefit from free Wi-Fi, charging outlets and an online ticketing system.

DoTr sees the intermodal transport system as an effective means to ease traffic congestion in the metropolis.

Under the system, provincial buses will not be allowed on major roads in Metro Manila. They will unload passengers at terminals constructed outside of the metropolis which are linked to other modes of public transport.